Electrically-heated cooker.



L. G. COPBMAN.

ELBGTRIGALLY HEATED COOKER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 7, 1910.

l I 2 SHBBTS-SHBBT 1.

L. G. GOPLMANIV ELECTRIGALLY HEATED GOOKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1910.

1,005,81 1 Patented 0013. 17,191.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

^ UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

. l LLOYD G. CGIPEMAN, FLINT, MICHIGAN. f

' ELEcTmcALLY-HEATED cooxnn.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 17, 1911. l Application led May 7, 1910. Serial No. 559,986. l

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLOYD GROFF COPE- MAN, a citizenl of the United States f America, residing at Flint, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improve- -ments in Electrically-Heated Cookers, of

' which theV following is a specification, refertherein.

It is the'object of the present inventionf vfirst, to provide means incorporated as a art of the apparatus for furnishing the initial heat; second, the automatic control for the heating means which effectually guards a ainst overheating; third, the"adap tation o `the apparatus for use as a hot plate on-which all of the ordinary cooking operations can be performed; fourth, the

arrangement of a' warming l closet 'in the same case as the cooklng receptacles andv so as to receive heat indiretlytherefrom.

With these objects in view, .the invention consists in various features of constructipn as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the-cooking compartment; Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the adjustment for use as a hot plate; Fig. 4 is asection through the compartment containing the control mechanism; Fig. 5 is a plan; and Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the arrangement of theelectrlcal circuits.

In @neral construction, my apparatus comprises a suitable casing'A within which thevarious compartments` of the apparatus are arranged, the' walls being hollow and filled with'suitable heat insulatin material B.' In the specic'construction s own, the

'apparatus is 'provided with vtwo cooking Q'chambers C, beneath each of which is a neath both compartments.

warming closet D, and still lower, a second warming closet or drawer E extending be- There is `also a. chamber F intermediate the cooking chambers C,l in which thel automatic jelectrlc switches 'are arranged.` Each of 'the compartment's C is provided with an electrical heating 'unit' G preferably in the Aform of aflat disk of substantially the ,same araeanas'r I the bottom of the receptacle'. As the specific character and arrangement of the heat- .V ing resistance in the unit forms no part of the present invention, it is not illustrated.

H are electrical conductors connecting with the unit which are arranged so as to `permit ofv vertical adjustment of the unit within the receptacle C. This is preferably accomplished by employing a flexible conductor of sufficient length to permit the unit` to be raised to the top of the receptacle', and when said unit is at the bottom of the receptacle this conductor will assume the shape of a coil.

The primary objectlof the adjustment of the unit is to permit of its employment as a hot plate. For this purpose asuitable support is provided for the unit near the'upper end of the receptacle C preferably by arranging a plurality of vertical ribs 1 on the sides of said receptacle, with engaging notches J in the disk. Thus by raising the disk above theribs and slightly turning it it may be permitted to rest upon the ends of the ribs which will support it in the?.

proper position. This position is shown in Fig. 3, and the arrangement is such as to permit 'of using the unit as a hotplate for frying, boiling, or any of the usual operations.

When the apparatus is used for roasting or baking, the unit G is adjusted to its lower position,'and the material to be cooked is placed in the receptacle C in suitable trays or holders (not shown). The lid K is then closed and, as this also forms a heat insulation, the loss of the heat from' the receptacle will be slow. Inasmuch, however, as the generation of .heat in the unit is constant, there is danger of overheating, which Ihave guarded against by the following construction: L are electric switches within the receptacle F controlling the` electric circuits for the unit G. These switches are adapted to automatically open when released, and

to this end are preferably provided with a spring M' for throwing the blade. the switch is closed, a a

ranged thereabove, and this magnet is controlledV by '.a thermostatic switch qP.' The 4latter isl preferably arrangedin ny hollow:

ilo

space within the lid K, and isvso set that when the heat 'in the receptacle C 'reache'sa predetermined temperature ,the thermostat will operate 'to close an electric circuit Q for energizing the solenoid or ma et O. As soon as this occurs, the latch will be withdrawn, which will permit the spring M to open the switch L, thereby cutting out the current from the unit G, and also breaking the circuit established through the solenoid circuit Q. The switch L and solenoid are arranged within the compartment F, which is normally closed by a front panel R, but the'handles D for the switches project forward through a slot in this panel in a position for operation. The switches may thus b closed, but as the latch N automatically engages the opening of the switch, by means of the handle, is prevented. p v

It is sometimes desirable to cut out the heat without waiting for the operation of vthe thermostat,` which I accomplish by providing circuit closers preferably in the form of pushv buttons T, `which close a shunt around the thermostat in the solenoid cir- 'cuit Q, and by energizing the latter causes the opening of the switch.

From the description given above, it will be understood that my apparatus not only Aso y heating unit within the foran instant switch L.

serves the purpose of the ordinary tireless cooker, but is the equivalent ofa kitchen range, on which all of the usual cooklng operations may be performed. On the other hand, the conservation of the heat, dueto the heat insulating material employed, reduces the cost of current to the minimum.

To call attention to the cutting out ofthe electric circuit automatically by the thermostat, I preferably arrange a bell or other signal U in the circuit Q, which will sound preceding the releasing of the What I claim as my invention is:

.1. The combination with a heat insulated chamber, a heating unit normally positioned within the lower portion of the chamber, the interior of; said chamber and said unit being provided with interengaging portions to permit said unit to be supported in an elevated position in saidchamber.

2. The combination with a heat insulated chamber, a heating unit normally positioned within the lower portion of said chamber, andv means within the chamber for holding said unit in the upper portion of the chamber.

3. The combination heat insulated chamber with a casing, of a therein, an electrical cally controlling mechanism for the exterior of the casing.

4.` The combinatlonwlth a casing having heat insulating Walls, .of a chamber within .ber within said casing,

-for closing the top of the chamber, automati-Ll` said heatving unit arranged within the casing, and 'means actuating saidautomatic means from v said casing opening at its upper end, a lid for closing said opening, an electric heat' opening'l air tight, an electrical heater adjustable within said chamber, and means Within the chamber for supporting said heater at the upper end of said chamber when said lid is-removed .to form a hot plate.

6. The combination with a casing having heat insulating walls, of a chamber within said casing, an electrical heating unitwithin said chamber, manually-operable means for closing 'the circuit in said heating unit, thermpstatic-controlling means for opening said circuit, and manually-operable means also controlling said automatic means `for opening the circuit.

7. The combination with a casing having heat insulatin walls, of a plurality of chambers within said casing, an electrical heating unit within each'chamber, and automatic controlling mechanism for said heating units arranged within said casing in the space intermediate said chambers and means for actuating said automatic means from the exterior of the casin 8. The combination with an air tight casing having heat insulating walls, of a chaman electrical heater normally positioned in the lower portion of said chamber and adjustable vertically therein, and a flexible conductor connected to the bottom of said unit and passing out 9. In a device of the character described,

an open top cooking Chamber provided with a plurality of vertically extending ribs therein terminating adjacent the topv thereof, -a heating unit adjustable within said.

chamber and provided with notches in the periphery thereof engaging the ribs extending from the wall of the c amber, and a lid chamber. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature inpresence 'of two witnesses.

LLOYD G. COPEMAN. Witnesses: i'

F. P. Winona-aia,y R. W. SCHUMACHER. 

